John Lord Obituary (1944 – 2021) – Covington, LA

John Lawrence Ford Jr. wants you to know his job here is done. He received an offer on October 15, 2021, an offer that cannot be refused, for a most important meeting from which he will not return. This meeting comes with a huge bonus, a reunion forever with his parents, Ruby and John Lord; uncle Jim Thomas; first cousins, Crump Kirby and Kay Scanlan; and, friends he hasn’t seen for a long time. We are sure they were shouting with joy: “Here he is! John would likely tell you a story that he passed away suddenly while protecting his family from the dangers of life. But, isn’t it? We all know how much he loved telling stories and these were a few of his favorites: hearing the funeral songs of second-line marching bands and following them by bike to the cemetery, while growing up in the upscale neighborhoods of New Orleans ; hang water balloons in the majestic oak trees of its front yard on Carrollton Avenue, hide on the second floor balcony and shoot the balloons with a BB pistol causing brief unexpected rain showers on unsuspecting strangers who were passing; big game fishing with his beloved Uncle Jim in Florida and the Bahamas in the 1950s; meetings in high school on the St. Charles Streetcar to Canal Street for a movie; stop at a French bakery late at night and sit on the sidewalk eating a hot bread with a stick of butter; and drag racing in his beloved red Corvette across the pavement with only one span left, oh my god. We all miss his love of New Orleans and his wonderful storytelling. “Johnny Weatherman” often appeared in bad weather. He would often call his adult children and spouses in Houston to warn them of upcoming weather events. Ashley and Jim “relied†on these calls to know what to do before tropical storms or hurricanes. John was a protector of all, and his protection is deeply missed. As “The Arms Merchant” John’s reputation speaks for itself. He loved his friends and his friends loved him and they verbally shared this love for each other. Working every day was kind of an adventure, as his many friends from federal, state and local law enforcement as well as from all walks of life shared their stories with him and vice versa. John, a strong patriarch of his family, loved deeply; a good friend to all, a man who would quietly and humbly donate his shirt for a friend; a man of unshakeable conviction; and, a man of integrity and honor. Adult men want to be like him. John is survived by his 29 year old wife, Liz Lord; son, Jim Lord and wife, Eva; daughter, Ashley Lord Kerr and spouse, Jesse; daughter-in-law, Ashley Belding Escalante and spouse, Joe; and, grandchildren, Brooke, Emily, Reagan and John Lawrence Lord III and Wil and Reid Escalante. A memorial service is scheduled at St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church in Chapel, 1545 State St., New Orleans, on Monday, November 1, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. with visitation at 2:00 p.m. All are invited to a rally after the memorial, which location will be shared at the memorial. Instead of flowers, John hopes you will consider donating to your favorite charity or his favorite charities that he has supported and that are actively supported by his family: The Epilepsy Foundation at give.eftx.org ; The Sarcoma Patient Assistance Group, which provides tangible support to patients at the MD Anderson Cancer Center at www.sarcomapatientsassistance.com; and Camp Pelican, a free week-long camp for children with lung disorders, at camppelican.org or at PO Box 10235, New Orleans, LA 70181. Rest In Peace Grandpa. You will be missed and honored forever.
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